A Picture's Worth A Thousand Words
by LexiAmbroseCabana
Summary: Damien and his long term girlfriend Caroline go through their photo albums on their anniversary- and the stories behind each picture. Sandow/OC.
1. Prologue

They were both solitary people, but always spent the majority of their free time together. To those around them, it didn't make sense. But to them, it made perfect sense. They didn't like to spend time with others, because they didn't find anybody worthy of their time but one another.

Damien Sandow; the self-proclaimed intellectual savior of the masses, who would refuse to compete because those he was set to face were unworthy, and constantly belittles his coworkers and the fans at the show on his way to the ring.  
Then there was Caroline Collins; a bit more quiet about her opinions, but she judged harshly based off of a person's dialect and in-ring ability, and if she deemed a person unworthy of her time or presence, she just wouldn't bother in general. Being the only female member of the original Nexus and two time Diva's Champion, she felt that she had the right to make such decisions.

Plenty of people often wondered how the two came together, since she wouldn't bother to give him the time of day at the developmental territory for the first few months that they had known each other. People often wonder how they, with their egos and 'better than everyone' personalities, did their relationship not crash and burn so early on? Then there was the big question: how the hell have they been together since 2012 without any major conflict in their relationship? If you asked him, he'd say that they both were smart enough to know when they were incorrect, and drop the subject rather than squabble over it. If you asked her, she'd say that they just cares about each other to let arguments that were beneath them, put cracks in their metaphorical Berlin Wall that separated them from the unwashed masses.

* * *

"Caroline." He stated in simple greeting, his tone of voice telling her that he was happy to see her up and moving about.

"Yes, Damien?" She asked with a smile, although he couldn't see it since she had her nose buried in the New York Times crossword puzzle.

"How long have we been together?" He asked as he poured himself a glass of orange juice and she looked up at him, setting her newspaper and pencil on the bar counter which was attached to their kitchen counter, her favorite place to be in the morning.

"Two years today, dearest."

"Two years and two months since you first smiled at me." He corrected with a smile, taking his seat in the bar stool beside her.

"I smiled at you beforehand." She argued with a slight laugh as he drank his juice. "Then I ignored you for a few months until you proved yourself worthy of my time when I was at FCW wasting my time." She added, earning a chuckle from her boyfriend.

"Then I properly courted you, and here we are two years later."

"I've been happier in these two years with you, than I have ever been in my life." She admitted with a small smile, running a hand through her pin straight brown hair.

"I didn't feel whole until I had you in my life, Caroline. I need you to know and understand that."

"I do understand." She confirmed with a nod.

"I never want to feel that emptiness again, dearest." He stated, small smile on his face, but his eyes gave away how truly serious he was.

"Good thing you're stuck with me forever, huh?" She asked with a teasing smile, patting his denim clad thigh as she slipped from her stool and headed for the bookcase that held their framed photographs and photo albums. "I was thinking that we could go through the albums today, unless you had something special planned?"

"Just dinner at six." He informed with a smile and she nodded, pulling two albums from the stack of four on the bookcase and he joined her in the living room, taking a seat in the recliner and pulling her into his lap. "We should start at the beginning, shouldn't we?" He asked, taking the newer of the two albums from her hand and setting it on the side table beside the recliner.

"It only makes sense to do it that way." She agreed, resting her head on his firm chest, covered by the cotton of his tshirt, as he opened the older album and they both looked at the picture of them shaking hands taken by the FCW photographers on the day they met. She was in jeans and her Nexus tshirt, and he was in his trunks and a tshirt, shaking her hand. Both were smiling bright, but the two knew that they were inwardly hating their situation, because Caroline hated being at FCW on days that Regal wasn't, and Damien hated meeting main roster wrestlers, especially women, in ring gear.

* * *

**The prologue to my Sandow/OC story, that I will be managing along with ****_Engaged to Disengage_**** and ****_The Nick and Carlie Story_****. This one will alternate between "real-time" between each story and the stories behind the pictures in their photo albums. I have no idea what compelled me to do this story like this, but we're going to see how this turns out. Leave reviews, please!**


	2. When We First Met

_"You've got to be kidding me, Wade!" A very tired and frustrated Caroline shouted at her best- and only real- friend, Wade Barrett._

_"I'm sorry, love. You hate press, so this is our only real option." The much taller Brit reasoned smoothly, leaning against her door frame nonchalantly. "I know that you hate rookies, too, but I picked the sweeter poison for you because I'll be there. Put on your shirt now, love. We've got to tease and hint at a British Nexus forming." He joked and she rolled her eyes, knowing that there wasn't a British Nexus forming any time soon- or ever. Because the only Brits on the roster were the two in her apartment and Layla, and both hated the woman with a passion. "See? You look so much happier in yellow." Wade joked and Caroline playfully punched his shoulder as she walked passed him and down the hall to the living room of her small apartment to put on her coat and shoes._

_"So, we've got to meet FCW rookies, and do what?"_

_"Meet a couple, shake a couple hands for some pictures, get you laid, and just watch them in the ring. Did I mention getting you laid?"_

_"That's not happening, Wade, and you know it." She argued, looking out the window and seeing the dark grey clouds rolling in. "It's a North Face kind of day."_

_"Wow, copycat." He playfully grumbled and she turned to fully take in what he was wearing. They would be matching everything except for shoes._

_"You've got to be kidding me." She groaned and he shrugged._

_"Would you rather wear matching outfits with the ginger?"_

_"Oh bloody hell." She sighed, unplugging her phone and grabbing her keys. "You're driving?"_

_"Yes, Caroline. I know how you hate to drive."_

_"If I'm not married or in a long term relationship by the time I'm thirty, we've got to get married."_

_"I wouldn't mind that, actually." Wade mused, stroking his chin as she locked the door to her apartment._

* * *

_"I wish I could hit you hard enough to get the point across that I'm pissed at you." Caroline muttered, having to pop up onto her tip toes to meet him halfway in his slight lean so they could mumble things to him. The seventeen inch height difference between the two was something most people notice right off the bat. Who wouldn't notice a handsome six-foot-seven man walk into a room with a beautiful five-foot-two woman? So their initial plan to "hang around and not look suspicious for a bit" failed right off the bat, and the FCW staff had them leaning against a wall to watch two rookies go at it._

_"I'm not exactly having a good time either, Sweets. Maybe if you weren't so damn short, this wouldn't have been an issue."_

_"If I wasn't so short? You're a fucking monster, and I'm the reason this sucks so much?"_

_"Are you two even paying attention to us?" The two-toned man in the ring asked and Caroline rolled her eyes._

_"Yes, actually. Very nice Full Nelson, whatever your name is." Caroline called to the other man in the ring and Wade hummed in approval._

_"I didn't see it."_

_"When are you going to learn, Wade? I pay close attention to everything." She teased, lowering herself to stand flat on her feet while Wade stood upright._

_"Sneaky bitch."_

_"So full of shite, it's almost cute." They weren't bothering to mumble to each other, being covert didn't matter._

_"You guys can stop, if you like. There's a lot of good things with what you've both got. But we should properly introduce ourselves." Wade called and Caroline sighed as she walked towards the ring with Wade. "I'm Wade Barrett. This, is my lovely tag team partner and best friend, Caroline Collins."_

_"Seth Rollins."_

_"Damien Sandow."_

_"It's a pleasure. Your Full Nelson, was perfect in my opinion, Damien." She put on a fake smile as she shook the hands of the rookies, and inwardly sighed when she saw the flash out of the corner of her eye._

* * *

_He had never heard a more lovely accent in his life than that of Miss Caroline Collins. It was an obvious accent, but it didn't draw away from the beauty of her light and articulate tone. The way she said his name made him never want to hear it any other way. Her handshake was soft, but firm, much like her hands. For a wrestler of her caliber, she had the softest hands, which gave away that she took care of herself. He could probably write a novel about how perfect her accent and handshake grip were, with a bonus chapter about how much better her soft hands made the handshake. He mentally gushed over her accent and handshake that it barely registered that she had complimented him until he felt the glare of Wade Barrett on the side of his head._

_"Thank you, madam. I spent a lot of time trying to perfect it."_

_"I can see. Well, you've both got some talent, Wade?" The way she looked up at Barrett made him envious. He wanted her to look up at him like that with those gorgeous moss green eyes, hopefully they'd sparkle up at him as if he was her sun, moon, and stars. He wouldn't mind that in the slightest._

* * *

"You liked my handshake that much?" Caroline asked, removing her head from his chest to look up at him as he turned the page before looking down at her.

"Of course. You have the perfect handshake, dearest." Damien explained, kissing her softly before allowing her to relax into him once again as he looked down at the next picture which was of her on his back while she had him in a sleeper hold in an FCW ring.


	3. Training

_He was excited. Generally, he wasn't a fan of getting text messages from random numbers, but when he saw who it was, he felt himself gradually get happier._

_**'Good morning, Mr. Sandow. This is Caroline Collins, we met a couple days ago at the FCW center. William Regal sent me a couple of your tapes and suggested that I offer to train with you a bit on my off days. If you're uninterested, that's fine, I just thought I'd extend the offer. I do hope that you enjoy the rest of your day.'**_

_An excuse to hear that accent a bit more and feel that lovely handshake again? Where did he sign up?_

_'__**Good morning, Miss Collins. When do we start?'**_

_"Shite." Caroline cursed aloud from her kitchen table. He wasn't supposed to want to train with her._

* * *

"You didn't want to train with me?" Damien asked and she shook her head.

"Damien, love, you've got to understand that I'm a very anti-social person. I always have been, and I most likely will be for the rest of my life. I have you, do I need anybody else?" She reasoned and he smirked, kissing her head.

* * *

_Anyways, Caroline wasn't at all pleased with Damien actually wanting to train with her. She didn't really want to sit and train a rookie on her off days when she could've been sleeping._

_**'Thursday. Six am. If you're late, I will not train you.' **__She sent her text with a smirk, knowing that if she was lucky, he'd be late and she'd be home free._

_**'I'll be there. Thank you for taking the time to train me.'**_

_**'Don't mention it.'**__ She really hoped he wouldn't mention it, she decided as she rolled her suitcase into the Diva's locker room and set herself up in the far corner, away from everyone._

* * *

_Thursday had come much sooner than she would have liked, but she found herself at FCW at five forty-five in the morning, and because she was just that lucky, Damien was already there and warming up._

_"Shite." She mumbled her curse and made her way to the women's locker room to get changed into her sports bra and yoga capris with her old Adidas running shoes from when she played soccer and found him waiting in the ring for her._

_"Good morning, Miss Collins."_

_"Caroline will do. Good morning." Her greeting was short and to the point as she made her way into the ring and the two shook hands. "So, I did my research and you've been a wrestler for quite some time. Why do you need my help?"_

_"You're a submission specialist. I need help with getting out of holds." He clarified and she nodded before sliding behind him, hopping into his back, and locking in a cross-face chicken-wing hold. "You don't waste time." He grunted and she nodded._

_"My time is valuable. Keep in mind that most of these holds will be applied by men much taller than me."_

_"I'm aware." He grunted out as she removed her legs from his waist and willed gravity to drag him down with her weight. But he flipped her over his shoulder and dropped her into a gentle backbreaker. Much to her surprise, he didn't let her hit the ground. Instead, he helped her back to her feet._

_"That's one way to do it." She murmured, a bit perplexed by the maneuver since she wasn't expecting it. 'Maybe he's not that bad of a rookie.' She mused to herself before jumping into a sleeper hold on his back._

* * *

"Your submission maneuvers have always been quite effective, darling." Damien praised and she grinned into his neck before moving to stand. "Where are you going?"

"To make some tea, darling. Bring the album and we can look through photos as we wait for the water to heat." She suggested and he nodded.

"I still can't believe that you ignored me from two thousand ten until I was moved to the main roster and I conned Cody into getting you to talk to me." Damien spoke with a smile and Caroline rolled her eyes as he set the album on the counter and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I'm good at stuff like that, love."

"Does being forced to go to that club together count as our first date?"

"I thought that we were counting dinner in Cincinnati as our first date because non consensual doesn't count?" She asked and he nodded, pressing his face into her neck.

"Especially since we both ended up getting so inebriated that we had intercourse neither of us remember having."

"I remember waking up that morning, though." Caroline murmured, tapping the picture of her and Damien smiling in a booth at a club.


	4. Awkward

_Bright light shone through the crack in the curtains of her hotel room and she groaned, but froze upon realizing that she wasn't alone in bed. She didn't just take men to her room, and Wade always kept his distance when they shared a bed, and they certainly did not go to bed ~nude~ when they did share a bed. A quick glance over her shoulder confirmed her worst fear and she did indeed bed a coworker. Even worse, the rookie that she trained year years prior._

_So, Caroline did what Caroline did best, and stealthily slid from Damien's grasp and landed on the floor with a light thud. She found her dress from the night before and slipped it on, having every intention of escaping her room, when she realized that it wasn't her room. Her suitcase was charcoal grey, not black, and the ensuite bathroom door was always shut._

_"Shite." She cursed aloud, much to her own stupidity, because she awoke Damien._

_"Where are you going, Miss Collins?"_

_"I don't do things like this, Damien."_

_"What a coincidence, neither do I. So you're just going to leave?" He asked and she shrugged, picking up her five inch heels and heading for the door, sparing only one last glance to the confused and slightly disappointed intellectual in the bed before leaving, headed straight for Wade's room. Once there, she collapsed into the arms of her only friend, who was a bit confused._

_"Love, did somebody take advantage of you?"_

_"Sandow wouldn't take advantage of a woman. I believe that it was consensual, albeit highly inebriated, sex." Caroline explained as Wade lifted her into his arms and carried her into the room._

_"And you're in shock because you don't do things like that?"_

_"Exactly. You know me so well."_

* * *

_"You do know that you're going have to face him, right?" Wade asked, sitting beside her in catering._

_"No. With you as my human shield, I should be alright." She reasoned and Wade scoffed._

_"I never thought that I would ever see Caroline Collins running away from her problems." The older Brit teased and Caroline rolled her eyes as she bit into her apple._

_"Miss Collins," The two Brits heard Sandow and Caroline mentally cussed. "may I have a word with you, in private?"_

_"Shite." Both Brits whispered to each other and Caroline stood, mentally coaching herself as Damien led her out of catering and to the loading bay._

_"You've been avoiding me, Miss Collins." Damien stated and she nodded._

_"I'm glad you see it for what it actually is. I was afraid I'd have to lie." She responded, her tone light as if she were making a joke of the whole situation. Damien hoped that she wasn't making a joke of him, because that would be disheartening to him._

_"Why? I admit that we were both highly inebriated and I don't remember much of last night, but I could imagine that it wasn't too terrible, and not cause for embarrassment."_

_"Well, Mr. Sandow, the bits and pieces of last night that I can recall weren't terrible, quite nice, actually. But, I am not going to just allow you to bed me under such circumstances once, and allow you to think that we're suddenly friends because of it." She explained, trying to maintain steady eye contact with the much taller man whom she had to admit was quite handsome, but found herself glancing around him to objects in the darkening sky._

_"Miss Collins, I would expect nothing of the sort, but I would like to take you to dinner while we're in Cincinnati for work next week."_

_"I don't know, Mr. Sandow. I've never been one for relations with coworkers..." She trailed off, biting her lip and Damien sighed._

_"One dinner date, Miss Collins, and if after that date you feel that you're not attracted to me, I'll leave you alone."_

_"If you say so, Mr. Sandow."_

_"In looking forward to Wednesday night, Miss Collins." Damien said with a small smile as he and Caroline made their way back inside. At the time, Caroline wouldn't admit it, but she was looking forward to Wednesday night, as well._

* * *

"I still can't believe that I had to coax you into going to dinner with me." Damien admitted with a chuckle and Caroline smiled from where she stood in his arms, opening the cupboard and reaching for the tea bags. "I'll get them, dearest." He assured, reaching over her head to get two Earl Grey tea bags.

"Thank you, love."

"Maybe we should have the cabinets lowered more for your convenience?" He suggested and she shook her head.

"That's a lot of trouble I'd rather not go through when I can just use my stool. It wouldn't be a problem if you would stop putting the tea on the second shelf." She accused, turning in his arms and playfully glaring up at him.

"I do apologize, dearest. I'll work on it." He assured, cupping her cheeks with a smile that she couldn't help but mirror as he leaned down to place the gentlest of kisses on her lips. "What's the next picture?"

"The picture Cody took of us while he babysat us on our date from three tables away."

"He wasn't babysitting, dearest, since he had a date that night as well." Damien argued as he turned the page and looked down at the picture of himself and Caroline sitting at the table. It truly was a candid photograph. Cody had captured them in the midst of laughter, and Caroline just looked stunning in the red dress. He hoped she wore it when they went to dinner that night.


	5. First Date

_"It's a date, I don't understand why you're stressing out over this." Cody mumbled with a sigh from where he was laid in his bed completely relaxed, while Damien rushed around the room trying to make sure he looked perfect._

_"It's not just a date, Cody. This is my first date with the woman who has invaded my dreams for the past two years. Much more important that just a date."_

_"Caroline doesn't date coworkers. Believe me, I've tried." Cody laughed, remembering the blank stare Caroline had given her when he invited for drinks._

_"Maybe I can change her mind. She did agree to a date with me. Farther than you got."_

_"She may not be into the southern gentleman that is Cody Rhodes, but did you ever think that maybe she was just being nice after your drunken night of passion?" Cody suggested and Damien shook his head as he tied his tie._

_"She left me high and dry in my hotel room, I doubt she's the type to lead men on." Damien argued and Cody sighed._

_"Whatever, man. Just don't cry to me when she turns you down in that blunt yet polite way that she's mastered."_

* * *

"You really fussed over me?" Caroline asked as she poured the hot water from the screaming tea kettle into two tea cups and Damien nodded, dropping their tea bags into the water. "A verbal response would be nice, love."

"Yes, dearest. This meant a lot to me." He elaborated slightly, and she smiled as she began to steep her tea.

"You know how to make a woman feel special."

"I know how to make _you_ feel special. I could care less about other women. They're much too complicated for this intellectual mind." He admitted with a chuckle and she shook her head with a smile.

* * *

_Meanwhile, Caroline was having her own problems getting ready, and Wade wasn't being much of a help._

_"For somebody so unhappy about this dinner date, you're fretting quite a bit." He laughed and she huffed as he continued pinning her waist length, pin-straight, brown hair into a high bun for her._

_"I'm not happy about it. I'd just prefer not to look like a slob on a date." She tried to reason, but Wade only laughed harder._

_"You can't even say it with enough conviction to convince yourself, let alone me."_

_"Hush. This conversation is over, Wade."_

_"I want all the details when you get back."_

_"Fine." Caroline huffed as he put in the final pin._

_"Viola! I should've gone into hairdressing."_

_"Your grandfather was a barber, wasn't he?" Caroline asked as she slipped into her figure hugging red dress and Wade zipped it for her._

_"Indeed he was, love. Look at you, my little Caroline is all grown up." He gushed with a grin, smiling down at her and she rolled her eyes. "Don't you roll your eyes at me, and don't fuck up your hair."_

_"I won't." She muttered as she slipped on her heels and Damien knocked on her door._

_"He's certainly punctual." Wade muttered and Caroline nodded._

_"I'll see you later."_

_"Good luck."_

_"Thanks."_

When she opened the door, Damien was awestruck. She looked beautiful after a work out, but absolutely gorgeous all dressed up.

_"Why are you staring like that?" She asked with a raised brow and he blinked._

_"Sorry. You look beautiful, tonight."_

_"Thank you. You also look quite handsome." He grinned at the compliment and offered his arm before leading her down the hallway._

"I never thought I would ever meet such an elegant and intellectual woman in my life." Damien admitted and Caroline smiled as she took a sip of her water. "I'm really glad that you've given me this opportunity, Miss Collins."

_"It would've been rude to say no, Mr. Sandow. But I'm glad I've given you this opportunity, as well. I didn't think I could have fun like this with anybody other than Wade."_

_"You two are close?"_

_"Childhood friends. He's a few years older than I am, but we've formed a close bond." Caroline explained, wishing the waiter would hurry up with her wine. She didn't want to discuss her childhood. Although she had a childhood one could only describe as privileged, anyone who truly knew would that it was also abusive. Information that Damien didn't need at that moment. "Why is Cody sitting three tables away with a camera?"_

_"I know that he also had a date tonight, I'm not sure why he has the camera."_

* * *

_"Thank you for such a lovely night, Mr. Sandow." Caroline said softly as they walked down the hall to her room. Damien had offered her his suit jacket as they left the restaurant and Caroline still had it on. She liked the way it smelled. Like mint, vanilla, and jasmine. An odd combination, but it suited Sandow._

_"Thank you for giving me a chance, Miss Collins. I must ask, what are the chances of a second date?" He asked once they stopped in front of her door and she smiled up at him._

_"Very likely. Goodnight, Mr. Sandow." He smiled and leaned down to kiss her goodnight, mentally cheering in success when she didn't turn her head and actually kissed back._

_"Good night to you, Miss Collins. Sweet dreams."_

_They both were so clouded by the kiss, neither noticed that she still had his coat._

* * *

"Did you ask Cody to take pictures of us?" Caroline asked with a laugh and Damien shook his head from where he sat beside her at the bar counter.

"I still don't know why he had the camera, dearest. But, I do know that I am glad he captured that moment."

"I am, too." She mumbled before he pecked her lips and turned the page revealing the picture of them walking around a park together that was taken by some tabloid magazine.


	6. Label

_"You're going on a second date with him?" Wade asked and Caroline shrugged as they walked around the arena. They had to be there early for a meeting but afterwards Caroline and Damien were going on a walk in the park nearby._

_"The first date was a good time, and I've learned that he's not that bad of a guy. I'm just overly judgmental."_

_"Is this newfound information about yourself going to change how you feel about most of our coworkers?" Wade asked with a teasing smirk and Caroline chuckled._

_"Do I look like I'm going to go out of my way to change how I feel about these people?" She asked right before they entered catering and Wade pulled her to the table Damien and Cody were sitting at. Of course, Wade took the seat beside Cody which left her to sit beside Damien._

_"Good morning, Caroline."_

_"Good morning, Damien." She greeted with a smile and he smiled. She liked him all dressed up, but his casual state of dress was nice, too. She wasn't over dressed in her black skinny jeans, a grey long sleeved sweater, grey slip on vans, and a black beanie. His outfit actually complimented hers, dark wash jeans, a plain black tshirt, and some sneakers._

_"You look beautiful."_

_"Thank you. You're looking pretty handsome, yourself." Cody and Wade shared a look with one another at the exchange between their best friends. They weren't this nice to other people. Ever._

* * *

_"I meant what I said this morning, Caroline. You do look beautiful today." Damien complimented as they exited the arena and Caroline smiled as he took her hand in his._

_"Thank you." She mumbled as the blush dusted her pale cheeks. "I brought your coat, it's in my suitcase back in the Diva's locker room."_

_"Thank you for hanging onto it this long."_

_"It's only been a week and it hasn't been any trouble." She assured, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. She heard the click of a camera and sighed._

_"What's the matter, Caroline?"_

_"Paparazzi. But it's fine. I really don't mind."_

_"I don't either. I'm happy spending time with you, regardless of whether or not it ends up online." He stated, stopping so she'd turn to face him._

_"That's so sweet, Damien." Caroline mumbled and he smiled down at her, cupping her cheek with his free hand. He liked how short she was compared to him. It was cute._

_"Can in kiss you right here in the middle of the park, Caroline?" He asked, voice barely above a whisper and she nodded, leaning up onto her tip toes to meet him at least some of the way of their fourteen inch height difference before his lips pressed onto hers in the sweetest of kisses he could muster for being in a very public place. She pulled back and he held both her hands in his. "I've got another question for you, Caroline."_

_"I can handle that."_

_"Will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?"_

_"I would love to be your girlfriend, Damien."_

* * *

Damien smiled down at Caroline, who was resting her head on his bicep.

"On this very day, two years ago." She murmured softly, stroking his hand and he rubbed her side.

"And every day is better than the one before it." He informed her, grinning when she smiled up at him. "Even our terrible days are alright in the end, because at the end of the day, we still have each other."

"I couldn't have said it better myself." She murmured, craning her neck so she could peck his lips before turning the page. "What picture is that?"

"Right after Survivor Series in twenty-twelve."

"I won the Diva's Championship for the second time."

"We made love for the first time that night."

"I think me winning the championship was more important. Especially since this picture was taken at the arena."

"I'll allow you to believe that."


End file.
